Family Ties
by NcisLover19
Summary: Lexi Roberts is struck by a sudden tragedy that leaves her an orphan with no known living relatives. When she finds that she has a godfather who she's never met, she desperately tries to find him. Little does she know, her life is about to change for the better. ***Remake of my first story*** Will contain spanking of minors and adults in later chapters. *Multi-chapter fic*
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone. I know you've all been wondering why I so impulsively deleted two of my stories a while back, but I just wasn't satisfied by them anymore. They literally sucked, and my writing skills are way better than they were at that time. I decided to re-write my first story, but this time I want to really bring Lexi's story and personality to life. That means that this time around, it will include her history, how she came to live with Gibbs, a development of her character and also of her relationship with Gibbs, the team, and eventually Jenny. This story will begin in the spring of 2010, when Lexi is 11. It will continue until...well, not sure of that yet :)**

 **I am now a high school graduate with way too much time on my hands (for now), so I think I'll be able to update this story and New Beginnings more often. I really hope to bring Lexi's character out properly and let you all get to know her fully. Please don't forget to review and favorite, I hope you enjoy this one.**

 ***While it is certainly not the focus, this story will contain the disciplinary spanking of minors and adults in later chapters. Read at your own risk.***

 **Ally :)**

Gibbs set his umpteenth cup of coffee down on his desk and reclined very relaxed in his chair with a contented sigh. His team had not had a case in a few days, so they were winding down with some cold cases and unfinished case reports. They all needed the break, as the previous case had involved a suspect who targeted children, and it took a lot out of them, especially Gibbs. It was nice to finally have a peaceful day at work, and the silence, save for the normal bustle of the bullpen, calmed all four of the team members.

The calm environment of NCIS contrasted with one that was not too far away…

The sound of a backpack hitting the ground with a thud and the front door slamming echoed throughout the house. Lexi slipped her feet out of her worn high tops and scrunched her eyebrows together as she took in the odd silence.

"Mom?" She called out questioningly.

Venturing further into the house, Lexi found that her kitchen and living room were still untouched since that morning. Spying an interesting piece of paper on the dining table, Lexi moved closer to get a look.

Written in pen in her mother's handwriting was a message that simply read:

'Gone to run some errands, don't wait up. Find your own dinner tonight.'

"Love, Mom," Lexi grumbled sarcastically. "At least she was decent enough to write a note this time."

Crumpling the paper and haphazardly tossing it into the trash, Lexi was about to search the fridge for an afternoon snack when a sharp rapping at the front door stopped her in her tracks. Lexi hesitantly shuffled to the front door, her hand on the knob.

"Who is it?" Lexi demanded, looking through the peephole. Her heart skipped a beat as she found a policeman and a lady dressed in business attire standing at the other side of the door.

"Hi, Alexia, can we speak with you for a moment?" the cop asked kindly.

"Am I in trouble?" Lexi replied cautiously.

"Not at all, sweetie. We just want to talk with you," the lady next to him piped up.

Lexi looked back in the direction of her kitchen. "Um, well, my mom isn't here. But, she'll be back soon, so I think you should come back later."

Lexi missed the look that the two adults shared with each other from behind the door. "No, honey, I'm sure she won't mind if we talk to you now. You aren't in trouble, but we have something to talk about. It's very important."

Lexi placed her hand over the lock and hesitated. She knew that she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, much less open the door for them. Staying home alone so often taught her that she was not to open the front door for anyone except her mother. But there was a policeman with the lady, so that was okay, right?

Lexi sighed before unlocking the front door to reveal the two adults on her front porch. "My mom will be back any minute, I'm sure of it," Lexi told them carefully.

"It's alright, we just need to talk to you. It was very smart of you to check who was at the door before opening it," the policeman praised.

"Thanks…um, come in," Lexi replied uneasily, opening the door wider to let them in.

The adults entered the house and followed Lexi into the kitchen. "Sit down, sweetie," the lady instructed, and Lexi obeyed.

"Have you eaten yet?" she asked. Lexi shook her head.

"I'm not really hungry…" Lexi answered. "Can you please just tell me what this is about?"

The lady sighed and sat across from Lexi, while the cop stood by silently. "This is Officer Harrison from the local police station, and my name is Beatrice Miller, I'm a social worker from child protective services. We have something big to tell you, and it's important for you to stay calm, can you do that?"

Lexi nodded. She liked the soft tone of both adults, and it made her trust them, just a little. But she didn't like that solemn look in their eyes.

"Alexia-"

"It's Lexi."

"Right. Lexi, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid your mom has met in an accident, and-"

"She's dead, isn't she?" Lexi finished solemnly.

The adults shared a glance before turning back to look at the young girl in concern. "Yes, honey, she is. I know this must be very hard for you to hear."

"Don't worry about it. It's no big deal. Why else would you be here?" Lexi said deadpan.

"You're a really smart little girl, Lexi," Officer Harrison remarked.

"I'm not stupid. I know what happens to kids who lose their parents," Lexi snapped, before softening slightly.

"What does this mean for me?" Lexi asked nervously. "My mother has no brothers or sisters, and I don't have any grandparents either. I don't even have any distant cousins on any side. What's gonna happen to me?"

"Well, we are still searching for the closest relative. But, if we can't find one, you-"

"Become a ward of the state and go into the foster system," Lexi finished in a whisper. Beatrice nodded grimly.

"We are still trying hard to find relatives on your father's side," Beatrice replied.

Lexi shook her head. "There's no use. He was adopted and his parents died years ago. I'm all alone…"

"Well, we're going to take you with us for right now, honey. I will do everything in my power to make sure that you end up in a nice home. Okay?" Beatrice told the girl gently.

"Can I go upstairs and pack some stuff with me?" Lexi requested quietly, rising from her seat.

"Of course, sweetie. I'll be down here making some calls. Take your time," Beatrice replied kindly. Lexi turned, ran upstairs to her room and slammed the door.

Her back against the door, Lexi fought the tears that threatened to fall. What was she going to do? She couldn't allow herself to be taken into the system, she just couldn't. Having both parents die leaving no living relatives seemed like something that only happened on TV. She never would've imagined that it'd happen to her. Lexi's mother was almost never home, so she was often by herself. But, now, Lexi realized that she truly was alone.

Hurriedly taking her duffel bag, Lexi filled it with clothes, her journal, and some pocket money before closing it. Opening her nightstand drawer, Lexi noticed an old, worn photograph and picked it up.

The photo had two men in body armor holding large guns, smiling together. Lexi's breath hitched as she realized that the man on the left was her father, years before he died overseas. The man on the right was unfamiliar to her, however. He was a bit older than her father with piercing blue eyes. Flipping the photo over, Lexi noticed a message in scrawled handwriting.

'Alexander Roberts and Leroy Jethro Gibbs- Kuwait 1989'

The photo was taken 10 years before she was born. That was exactly 21 years ago. Leroy Jethro Gibbs? Why did that name sound so familiar?

Then it hit her. Lexi remembered her father showing her pictures of him as a young man when he first enlisted in the Marines, and held up this very photograph.

"Ah, I remember when this was taken. This was in Kuwait," her father explained fondly to a much smaller, 6 year old Lexi.

"Kuwait? Where's that?" Lexi wondered aloud.

"Somewhere very far from here, pumpkin. That was when Daddy was younger, before he met Mommy," her father had answered.

"Who's that man with you?" Lexi had asked curiously, pointing to the slightly older man in the photo.

"That, Allycat, is an old friend of mine. Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He is also your godfather," her dad responded with a smile, gently stretching one of her brown ringlets and letting it go.

"He is? Have I ever met him?" Lexi inquired.

"A couple times, when you were a baby and once a few years ago. You probably don't remember him."

Lexi shook her head. "Uh uh."

"Well, I'll take you up to see him one of these days. He's a very good man. Just know, pumpkin, that if anything happens to me and Mommy, you go find him. Do you promise?" Her dad told her seriously, holding her hands in his.

Lexi nodded her head. "I promise, Daddy."

Snapping out of her flashback, Lexi knew what she had to do. She had to find this Gibbs guy and see if he could help her.

Grabbing a yellow pages book from her bookshelf, Lexi hurriedly flipped through the thin pages until she reached the 'G' section.

"Gabriel…Gentry…Giannone…Gibbs!" Lexi mumbled to herself. "Wow that's a lot of Gibbses."

Thumbing down the long list of Gibbs', she stopped at what she was looking for. "Gibbs, Leroy Jethro. 1847 W. 12th street, Washington, D.C."

Slinging her bag over her shoulder and slipping her feet in sneakers, Lexi opened her room window and let down her homemade ladder. Lexi threw her bag down into the bushes before climbing down the ladder out the window.

Landing on the grass with a soft 'thud', Lexi grabbed her bag from the bush and broke into a sprint down the road towards the bus station.

At the Gibbs residence, the MCRT team which had been granted early dismissal due to the lack of cases had agreed to meet up at Gibbs' house to wind down and have dinner. Gibbs had requested their help to organize his storage room, to which they readily agreed.

"Take your time with that door, Dinozzo. It's not like you know how to fix one if it breaks."

"Sorry, Boss," Tony apologized, rubbing the spot in the wall where the door slammed open against.

"Wow, that is a lot of boxes," Ziva remarked in wonder at the stacks of boxes and junk in the otherwise unused bedroom.

"Yeah, I know. That's what you four are here for," Gibbs answered, pushing a box of old books into Tony's arms.

Tony let out a grunt. "Pleasure to help, Boss," he remarked, slowly turning and starting downstairs.

In under 2 hours and not without complaints (mainly from Tony), the team cleared out most of the boxes and organized the remaining items as best as they could.

Abby fingered the old, faded pink wallpaper on the wall and turned to Gibbs with a quizzical look on her face. "Gibbs? Was this room…?"

Gibbs sighed and turned around from where he was placing books on a shelf. "Yes, Abs. It was."

Abby and Ziva exchanged a glance. "I think it needs a child's touch, no?" Ziva piped up.

Tim chuckled. "He's already got Dinozzo for that," he commented.

"Hey!" Tony protested.

"No, I don't think so, it's too late for that. I was thinking about making this room into an extra guest bedroom. Besides," Gibbs paused, putting an arm around the girls' shoulders.

"I already have 4 children that bring light to my heart-" Gibbs was interrupted by a loud crash as Tony tripped over a box and brought a nearby lamp down with him.

"-and a pain in my ass," Gibbs finished with a glare in Tony's direction.

Tony hurriedly stood up, trying to clean the mess around him mumbling an apology. The other three laughed heartily as Gibbs directed them back downstairs towards the kitchen with a promise of pizza and snacks. Tony sprinted from the room excitedly, making sure to watch where he was going this time.

Lexi sprinted from her stop two blocks away, albeit not so much in excitement, but in desperation and panic. She knew that the social worker and policeman had definitely noticed she was gone by now, and were probably out looking for her. She had to find Gibbs quick.

A bunch of 'what ifs' entered the young girl's mind. What if this Gibbs guy rejected her and released her to the social worker? What if he refused to help her? What if she ended up in a group home or a random foster home?

Lexi turned on West 12th street and continued walking down the block as a light drizzle began. Scanning the house numbers as she passed them, Lexi let out a slight breath of relief as she found the house she was looking for.

Lexi started to jog towards the home until she stopped right before the front porch. The house had a welcoming feel to it, and suddenly, Lexi had a feeling that she belonged here. This was exactly where she was supposed to be. She noticed no car in the driveway but went to ring the doorbell anyway, assuming the car was in the garage.

After a few minutes of waiting outside, Lexi was startled as the door swung open and a man with brown hair stood at the door.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes, you can. Is there a Leroy Gibbs here?" Lexi replied, trying to peer inside behind him.

The man smiled slightly in the most irritating way to Lexi, as if he was mocking her. Leaning against the doorway, he crossed his arms with a grin. "He's right here, what can I do for you?"

Lexi shook her head with a sneer. "Very funny. Is Mr. Gibbs home? I need to speak to him. If not, I'll wait out here for him."

"Sorry, kid. You'd best be getting home. No trespassers allowed."

Lexi's temper rose and she gritted her teeth in frustration. "Listen, I'm looking for Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It's important and you're wasting my time," she growled.

"Whoa there, tiger. How do you know I'm not this Gibbs guy?" the irritating man countered, flashing a charming smile.

Lexi chuckled dryly. "Trust me, Hotshot. With the day I'm having, I know I can't be THAT unlucky."

The annoying grin faded from the man's face as he was about to retort when someone else did it for him.

"Can I help you?"

Lexi froze at the gruff voice that sounded behind her. Turning around slowly, she came face to face with a pair of vibrant blue eyes. She knew right away that this was Gibbs.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Lexi whispered in awe.

"Lexi?" Gibbs responded softly.

"You remember me," Lexi answered in disbelief.

"How could I forget my goddaughter?" Gibbs chuckled softly.

Lexi dropped her bags and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face in his stomach. Behind her, Tony, joined by the other three team members stood by the doorway watching the scene in a mix of confusion and surprise.

"You have to help me, please. I'm in a lot of trouble and you're all I have left, Mr. Gibbs. I need you," Lexi begged, looking up at Gibbs pleadingly.

"Let's get you inside, Lexi. You're soaked, let's get you warm and dry," Gibbs answered gently, handing Tony the bags of takeout. Tim wordlessly took Lexi's duffel and carried it inside after Gibbs motioned towards it.

Gibbs led Lexi into the living room. Grabbing a blanket, he wrapped it around her and motioned to the couch. "Sit, I'll get you some dry clothes and a towel from upstairs."

"Okay," Lexi whispered. Gibbs left the room and Lexi took in her surroundings. The room was simply decorated and had a pleasant, homey smell to it. She felt warm and safe, safer than she had ever felt with her mother.

Suddenly, Lexi felt as if she was being watched. Sure enough, she turned to look towards the doorway of the living room where 4 other adults stood gawking at her.

"Yes?" Lexi remarked.

The man she saw earlier cleared his throat. "We just want to know where you came from."

Lexi raised her eyebrows before sighing with a shrug. "Well, I didn't think I'd be having this conversation with a grown man, but I'll explain as best as I can. When a mommy and a daddy love each other veeeery much, they decide-"

"You know what I mean," the man interrupted with a wave of his hand.

"I'm not telling you anything," Lexi replied, crossing her arms and looking forward. "And I can do without the awkward staring."

"Hey, get some food and let me talk to her in private," Gibbs instructed, stepping in the room with a towel and dry clothes. The others obeyed, not without the goth looking girl giving Lexi a weird glance. Handing Lexi the clothes, Gibbs directed her to the downstairs bathroom to change.

Lexi changed into the oversized NIS T-shirt and baggy sweatpants, feeling 10 times warmer and comfortable than she was before. After wrapping her sopping curls in the towel, she picked up her wet clothes and carried them with her to the living room, before handing them to Gibbs and sitting down.

Gibbs took the clothes before sitting in the couch across from her. Lexi fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat and looked down at her lap.

"Explain."

That one word sent chills down her spine. It wasn't said in an aggressive or mean way, but the authority that dripped from that one word was an indication that this Gibbs guy meant business.

"Okay, I know you're wondering how I got here and why-"

"Ya think?" Gibbs interjected with a slight chuckle. "And why you traveled alone in the rain."

"I think I'm old enough to take a bus by myself…" Lexi commented with a shrug.

"You're 11, and still a minor. Anything could have happened to you out there."

"Yeah yeah, I get it," Lexi scoffed with an eyeroll, which made Gibbs raise an eyebrow. "You remember my father?"

"Of course I do. Alex and I have been good friends for a long time. We served overseas together," Gibbs answered.

"He…passed away four years ago. He was killed in action," Lexi admitted, looking down.

Gibbs was momentarily shocked, and it showed clearly on his face. He had no idea of his friend's passing. Suddenly things made sense. Why he hadn't heard from his friend in ages. Why he hadn't seen Lexi since she was a small child. But not why she was sitting right in front of him now.

"Where is your mother?"

"My mother died this morning. I came home from school and a social worker with a cop showed up at my door. They can't find any living relatives and were going to put me in a foster home. I can't go into a home, I just can't," Lexi paused for a moment.

"That's why I looked you up and left…" Lexi blurted out.

"Left? So they don't know where you are?" Gibbs repeated incredulously.

"N-no," Lexi whispered.

Gibbs gave her a disapproving look. "I had to! I don't know why they didn't see that you're the closest thing I have left. They wouldn't have listened. I came to find you so you can help me, I have no one left. Please?" Lexi pleaded Gibbs to understand.

Gibbs said nothing for a moment. His heart went out to this young girl who'd seemed to lose everything all at once. His gut was screaming at him that this was the right thing to do.

"Listen, Lexi. I made a promise to your father a long time ago that if anything happened to him, I'd take care of you. No matter how long it's been, I intend to keep my promise. You're safe here," Gibbs finally replied.

"I don't want to be a burden-"

"None of that, kid. You've always been welcome here, even if you didn't know it. You're here to stay, and I don't want to hear you call yourself a burden again. Clear?"

"Yes, sir," Lexi answered sheepishly, pulling the towel from off her head to let her now damp shoulder-length curls down.

"Nah, the sir isn't necessary. I work for a living," Gibbs chuckled. Both of them stood up and Gibbs had a hand on her shoulder, leading her into the kitchen.

The team sat at the table, sharing out plates of Chinese takeout and partaking in their usual playful banter. All conversation stopped when Lexi walked in, and the awkward staring resumed.

"We have a new member of our little family," Gibbs announced.

"But, Boss? Isn't she a bit too young to be an agent?" Tony piped up.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Slap him, Ziva…"

Ziva eagerly obeyed, placing a good whack to the back of Tony's head, eliciting a yelp.

"As I was saying. Her name is Lexi, and she is my goddaughter," Gibbs continued.

"You have a goddaughter?" Ziva asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I do. Her father was an old friend of mine, we served overseas," Gibbs answered. "She will be staying here with me."

"Until?" Abby remarked, giving Lexi a strange look.

"Until nothing, Abs. I hope you all make her feel welcome. She's had a very eventful day," Gibbs scolded firmly. The team nodded in response.

Tim handed Lexi a plate of Chinese food, which she took with a quiet 'thank you' before sitting in an empty chair.

"You all going to introduce yourselves?" Gibbs remarked in slight amusement.

"Oh, right. The name is Tony Dinozzo, I'm the oldest of our little family," Tony spoke first, flashing Lexi a smile.

"I'm Tim, the second oldest," the man to Lexi's right continued, and she smiled. He seemed nice.

The really pretty girl who slapped Tony cleared her throat. "I am Ziva, it is nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Lexi answered.

The goth girl paused before sighing. "I'm Abby."

"It's nice to meet you all," Lexi addressed them all. "My name is Lexi, and I'm 11 years old."

"Wow, 11? You don't look a day over 9," Tony snickered.

Lexi scowled slightly. Ziva glared at Tony and kicked him once under the table. "He is only kidding. This is what we deal with on a daily basis," she said gently to Lexi, before giving Tony a look. "He acts as if he is 8 years old."

Lexi nodded before smiling mischievously. "It's funny, Tony. You act like you're 8 but you don't look a day over 45," she remarked, expecting the outraged squeak that came from Tony.

The others laughed in amusement at her comeback. Gibbs smiled at the interaction and shook his head slightly. He excused himself from the table to make a phone call, while the team and Lexi continued their banter.

Gibbs notified the authorities just to let them know where Lexi was and that she was safe. He was going to have a chat with the social worker come morning regarding Lexi. But for that moment, Gibbs returned to the dining room where Lexi was explaining the events of her day to the team. Seeing her among his people felt natural. It was as if she was meant to be there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone. Sorry for the long wait, I haven't abandoned any of my works. I started my freshman year of college and I am still getting adjusted to the whole being away from home thing. It's been great so far. Anyway, I know this is long, but the plot bunnies kept pouring out. Think of it as an extra long chapter to make up for long time *shrugs*. I hope you like it!**

 **-Ally :)**

* * *

Lexi woke up in a cold sweat the following morning, sitting up and frantically looking around at the unfamiliar room she was in. For a moment, she had no idea where she was and how she got there, until the events of the previous day came rushing back to her. Lexi sighed in relief and assured herself that she was safe with Gibbs, and not in some random foster home.

Slowly climbing out of the bed, Lexi observed her surroundings. Lexi wondered if Gibbs had another daughter, because the walls had faded pink wallpaper, and the bed was made with a floral, pale yellow quilt.

She came across a box in the far corner of the room and peered inside. Lexi reached in the box and pulled out an old, worn strawberry shortcake doll which certainly showed its age. Turning the doll around in her hands, she could make out faint letters "K.G" on the doll's leg.

Hearing voices downstairs, Lexi quickly returned the doll to its place and stealthily made her way downstairs. One of the voices sounded like a woman, and Lexi momentarily wondered if it was another social worker coming to take her away. What if Gibbs had decided that having her stay with him would be too much to handle? Then where would she end up?

Lexi suddenly heard her name being mentioned, startling her from her thoughts. Skipping the last 3 steps, Lexi soundlessly tiptoed to the doorway of the kitchen and tried to listen in on the conversation.

"Good morning, Lexi," she suddenly heard.

Lexi appeared at the doorway, a nervous smile on her face, before she realized that Gibbs' back was to her. How did he know she was there?

"How-"

"I'm a special agent, it's what I do," Gibbs replied in amusement. Lexi entered the dining area and noticed the redheaded woman sitting across from Gibbs.

"Is she another social worker?" Lexi inquired, her fear evident in her voice. "Are you sending me away?"

"No, no, sweetie, not at all. You aren't going anywhere," the lady answered gently. "I'm Jenny Shepard, the Director of NCIS, where Gibbs works."

Lexi nodded at this information, visibly relaxing at the assurance that she wasn't being sent away. "So, why are you here?"

Gibbs momentarily choked on his coffee. "Lexi!"

"Sorry," Lexi apologized sheepishly. "That came out wrong."

"It's alright, hun," Jenny laughed at the girl's forthrightness. "I've worked with Gibbs for...quite some time now."

"Oh, are you his girlfriend?" Lexi asked curiously.

"No," both adults said simultaneously. Lexi raised her eyebrows at the awkward silence that followed, along with the slight blush that appeared across Jenny's cheeks.

"Riiiiight..." Lexi drawled in amusement. She turned to the refrigerator nearby and opened the door, peering inside.

"Got any food? I'm starving," Lexi asked, her head deep in the fridge.

Gibbs closed his eyes momentarily with a slight grimace. "Yeah, I think I need to go grocery shopping."

"I'll say," the adults heard the girl scoff. "All you have in here is half a jar of strawberry jam with strange white fuzz on top, some leftover takeout, an old slice of pizza and-ooh!"

Lexi pulled out a half empty jug milk, unscrewing the cap. "You have milk, I can make-yuck!" Lexi gagged, recoiling from the jug and holding it away from her face. "The milk is spoiled..."

"Jethro!" Jenny scolded. "The girl needs food that's healthy and, you know, edible."

"Got any cereal? Any Froot-Loops, or Reese's Puffs? How about some Fruity Pebbles?" Lexi made her way to the pantry to see what was available.

"I don't eat any of that sugary mess," Gibbs stated. "You might as well eat a bowl of candy, with the amount of sugar that's in those cereals."

Lexi scoffed. "That's rich coming from the guy who drinks coffee for breakfast," she retorted sassily. Gibbs glared at the young girl silently, before he noticed Jenny trying to hide her laughter.

"Something funny, Jen?" Gibbs demanded.

"Oh, stop it, Jethro. You're just mad that you're getting owned by a 11 year old girl. And she's right, you need to really update your food inventory," Jenny chuckled.

"Yeah, since this box of crackers is from 2002," Lexi snickered, holding up a box of crackers.

"We'll go grocery shopping today. After we go to your old house to pick up the rest of your things," Gibbs said, getting up to refill his cup of coffee.

"Did you talk to the social worker today?" Lexi inquired.

"I gave her a call yesterday to tell her you were safe. We talked about your placement and I made sure to tell her that in your parents' will, it states that I am your next of kin and should anything happen to them, you'd be placed in my care. Jenny helped me get guardianship over you until it becomes official. So, looks like you're stuck with me, kid," Gibbs finished with a smirk.

"Bummer," Lexi answered with a wry smile. "I was hoping I got to stay with Tony."

"Get upstairs and get dressed, you little..." Gibbs playfully growled, abruptly standing up from his seat, making Lexi run out of the kitchen and upstairs with a giggle.

"What a sarcastic little imp," Gibbs remarked with a shake of head. "She might give DiNozzo a run for his money."

"I think she is just perfect," Jenny replied with a smile. The young girl really was a perfect match for Gibbs and their motley crew. Jenny knew that in time, Lexi would worm her way into everyone's hearts, especially Gibbs'.

The adults continued to talk at the table until Lexi returned downstairs, freshly showered and dressed, her wild curls neatly done in a half up-half down style. Gibbs turned around in his chair at her arrival.

"That was quick," Gibbs remarked.

"Considering I have like 4 outfits with me, I don't think I could've taken that long," Lexi chuckled.

"Well, that's why we're going back to your house to get the rest of your clothes and whatever else you'd like to take with you," Gibbs answered.

"Would it be possible to get some breakfast first?" Lexi winced as her stomach growled.

"Of course not," Gibbs responded sarcastically, grabbing Jenny's truck keys from the counter and walking away with a smirk.

Lexi turned to Jenny. "He's joking, right?"

Jenny smiled and led the girl outside. "Of course he is. If not, we'll dump all of his coffee supply in the trash until he feeds you," Jenny said in amusement.

"I heard that!"

"And here I thought his hearing had left him when his eyesight did," Jenny mumbled with an eye roll, making Lexi laugh out loud.

Gibbs hid a smile at their exchange, happy that they were getting along just fine. "If you two jokesters are finished, I'd like for us to get going."

The three drove to a nearby IHOP, where Gibbs ordered scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes for Lexi. After she finished eating, Lexi gave Gibbs the directions to her old house which turned out to be all the way across town.

"You walked this far last night?" Jenny asked in disbelief.

Lexi shrugged. "Walked, jogged, took a bus or two," she replied sheepishly. Jenny shot Gibbs a concerned glance, which was met with a shake of his head. With the way Lexi was so desperate to find him, he knew that she would have traveled whatever distance necessary.

Gibbs led the way to the front door and tried the knob, which was locked. "It's locked. Is there another way to get in?"

Lexi stepped forward. "Don't worry, I know magic," she quipped, pulling out a key from her pocket. She quickly unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Open sesame," she remarked, walking inside.

Gibbs rolled his eyes at the never-ending sarcasm and let Jenny walk in front of him into the house. Lexi looked around the familiar environment with a sigh. Memories, mostly not so great ones, were coming back to her full force. Memories of spending days, even weeks alone in the house, her mother gone doing god-knows-what. Lexi had been through things that many 11 year olds had not, forcing her to grow up a bit quicker. That house was a reminder of her past, and suddenly Lexi found herself uneasy in the place where she grew up.

"Lexi?" Jenny called gently, seeing the faraway look on the girl's face. She then moved forward and softly placed a hand on her shoulder, causing Lexi to flinch away.

"I'm fine. I'm going to get my stuff," Lexi mumbled quickly, running upstairs. Gibbs moved to follow. "I can do it myself!" Lexi yelled out over her shoulder, slamming her room door.

Gibbs sighed, rubbing his forehead. "How am I going to handle a preteen..."

"I know you aren't doubting yourself already, Jethro," Jenny remarked, giving Gibbs a look.

"Yes, I am, Jen. I haven't had a kid in my house in almost 20 years. We all know that the closest thing to a teenager that I deal with on a daily basis is Dinozzo. Lexi's been here less than a day and I already feel like I'm not doing enough for her," Gibbs answered.

"You love and care about her so much already. That feeling is you wanting to be the perfect parent, but those don't exist. You have to be prepared for the good and bad times, and make sure she feels love throughout all of those times," Jenny advised.

Gibbs regarded Jenny with a slightly skeptical look. "You sure you don't have a kid hiding in that big house of yours?"

"No, it comes with having a sort of maternal instinct of sorts," Jenny remarked. Gibbs smirked.

"I'm just afraid we won't have anything in common. Nothing to relate to," Gibbs admitted.

"There are plenty of things you both have in common," Jenny pointed out. "It's up to you to find out what those things are. Spend time with her. Pay attention to her likes, her dislikes, her opinions and what have you. The things that shape her personality. That's what will bring you two closer."

"Won't be easy."

"Oh, it certainly won't happen overnight. She's an angel compared to later on when she gets adjusted. That's when you have to bring out your Marine rulebook."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Marine rulebook?"

Jenny matched his look, crossing her arms. "I know your type, Gibbs. No-nonsense, lives for structure and discipline. My father was a colonel in the Navy, and he set boundaries and rules with known consequences, but lots of love."

"I used to read parenting books with Shannon," Gibbs reminisced. "I'm sure that now they've come up with new fangled ideas on how to be a good parent."

"You don't need a book to tell you how to parent, Jethro. Like I said, get to know Lexi. That way you'll know how to deal with certain situations. If you don't know her well, then you won't know how to handle her misbehavior correctly. Or her meltdowns, which will be frequent, I might add. She did just lose her mother, and is now having to adjust to a new house, new rules and new people. When those meltdowns do occur, don't hesitate to call me. She'll need another girl to talk to," Jenny suggested.

"You've already been a big help, Jen. Are you sure that you wanna help take on a kid?" Gibbs responded.

"Don't worry about me. You need all the help you can get right now," Jenny laughed.

"Once upon a time you chose your job over anything else. What's changed?" Gibbs retorted quietly.

"There wasn't a child involved," Jenny answered.

"But I was."

"It was a mistake."

"The relationship or leaving?"

"What do you think?"

"I'm not sure, that Dear John letter wasn't all too specific."

"I thought it was worded pretty well."

"Look, Jen, my point is, Lexi is in a very fragile state right now. She's lost both parents, she's around unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar place. Like you said, she needs love and support. She does not need to lose anymore people. So if you're in, you're in and no take backs," Gibbs interjected seriously.

"I am sure, Jethro. I'm not the same person I was 11 years ago. I don't just think about myself in situations anymore. And I meant what I said before. Leaving was...a mistake," Jenny stated just as seriously.

"You don't sound too sure of yourself," Gibbs quipped.

"It's your hearing."

"Hey, not-couple! A little help with the boxes, please!" the adults heard from the top of the stairs. Both blushed when they realized just how close to each other they were standing.

"Here, let me..." Gibbs awkwardly mumbled, jogging up the stairs and taking a box of clothes from Lexi's arms.

"I've got this one," Lexi said with a chuckle as she lifted the lighter box with various junk and old souvenirs from her childhood.

After packing the truck with Lexi's things, along with her bedsheets and some of her room decorations, Lexi ran back inside for one last thing she forgot.

Darting down the hallway and into her father's old office, Lexi ran to the large mahogany desk and opened one of the drawers. She pulled out old photos of her and her father from the drawer before returning to the truck. Lexi couldn't bear to leave the only things she had left from her father behind.

When they got back home, Jen helped to clear out the expired items in Gibbs' fridge, replacing them with their groceries. The fridge was then stocked with different choices of juices, milk, eggs and bread, along with cheese, yogurt and dinner items, and the freezer held meats, snacks and ice cream. Jenny made sure to pick a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables for Lexi to snack on, much to the girl's protest, before letting her pick 3 of her favorite junk foods on the condition that she gave the healthy foods a try first.

After the fridge and pantry were filled with more food than Gibbs thought was necessary, Jenny left the two alone, saying she'd be back to make dinner the next day. Gibbs decided to take Jenny's advice and get to know his goddaughter a bit better.

"Hey, Lexi?" Gibbs called out.

"Yeah?" was her response.

"Can you come down here?"

Hearing footsteps running down the stairs, Gibbs grabbed his jacket and keys. "Don't run down the stairs," he scolded gently. "Come on, kid. Let's go out for a bit."

Lexi hesitated. "Out...where?" Out could have meant the nearest orphanage from there.

"For some dinner at a diner nearby. Their food is good, and I've known the owner a long time. Then we could get some ice cream afterwards. How does that sound?" Gibbs answered.

Lexi motioned in the direction of the kitchen. "But, Gibbs. We have perfectly good food in the fridge..."

"Yeah, that's true. But, I think we should talk about some things."

Lexi's eyebrows raised. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, you're not in trouble, Lexi," Gibbs chuckled. "I just want us to have a nice chat over some dinner. How does that sound?"

Lexi shrugged. "I guess so..." she sighed. Gibbs noted that he really needed to do something to get rid of the apprehension that the young girl was feeling.

"C'mon, kid. It will be fun. I like to have fun, too," Gibbs laughed. Lexi smirked in amusement and scoffed slightly.

"Riiiight..." she remarked sarcastically. She turned and went upstairs to grab her windbreaker and put on her sneakers. Returning downstairs, she shoved her hands in her pockets and trudged outside to where Gibbs was waiting.

The drive to the diner was mostly silent. Gibbs tried asking casual questions and Lexi kept giving him short, clipped sentences facing her window. Gibbs sighed before remembering what Jenny told him about having patience and gaining Lexi's trust. He was determined to go about it the right way.

Lexi followed Gibbs inside of the cozy looking diner, and was relieved to see that the place was mostly empty save for the waitresses and cooks and a few people enjoying their meals. A middle aged woman came to greet the pair with a grin.

"Well if it isn't Jethro Gibbs. I see you're still kicking, despite all that coffee you drink," she remarked with a raise of her eyebrow.

Lexi was surprised to hear a genuine laugh come from the usually gruff, no-nonsense Marine. "Nice to see you again, Mary."

"Always a pleasure. And who is this beautiful little lady?"

"This is Lexi, my goddaughter. She's living with me now."

"Well she is adorable," Mary remarked, making Lexi look down and blush. Mary led them to a booth in the back of the restaurant.

"I will be back in just a moment with your drinks. The usual coffee for you, Jethro, and for you, young lady?" Mary asked kindly.

"Um, can I have a root beer?" Lexi asked quietly. Looking to Gibbs, she added a "please?". Gibbs nodded permissively and Mary returned to the kitchen.

Lexi drummed her fingers on the table. "So, Gibbs...what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Well, I thought we could talk about you, Lexi."

"Me?"

"Yes, you," Gibbs chuckled. "Your feelings about everything that's happened. Along with how you feel about living here, and anything else on your mind. I'm all ears, kiddo."

Lexi dropped her hands to her lap and considered what Gibbs was telling her. He genuinely wanted to hear about what she wanted to say and how she felt. Maybe she would give him a chance. He gave her a chance, so why not?

"Okay...I feel like this is all a dream. Every single thing since I came home from school yesterday feels unreal. Like, I'm supposed to wake up any minute but I can't," Lexi sighed, taking a sip of the root beer Mary set in front of her.

Gibbs nodded, considering what she told him. He understood fully that all of the prior events hadn't sunken in yet. "It's only been a day, but I do kinda like being here. Your house feels really safe. I don't like being alone, and you haven't left me alone, yet."

"Did your mom usually leave you alone?" Gibbs asked conversationally, so Lexi didn't feel pressed to talk.

Lexi raised her shoulders slightly. "Yeah, usually. I didn't ask where she went. She'd leave without a word for days, sometimes even a week. But I survived, it's no biggie."

Gibbs blood boiled at that information, but he kept his expression neutral. Lexi was neglected by the only parent she had left. At only 11, Lexi was forced to grow up much quicker and had to take care of herself instead of an adult taking care of her. The sickening thought that Lexi probably went through more abuse than simple neglect hit him.

"Yeah, Lexi, it is a biggie. I would never leave you alone in the house, not even for 5 minutes. That was very dangerous for your mother to do, as anything could have happened to you while your were alone," Gibbs told the young girl gently.

Lexi looked down at her lap. "I guess so."

Gibbs was about to ask another question when Lexi cut him off quickly. "I don't want to talk about...her, anymore. Next question," Lexi remarked sharply, and Gibbs noticed the way her body language changed from slightly relaxed to defensive after talking about her mom.

"Alright, we won't talk about her anymore right now," Gibbs assured her softly, watching Lexi relax slowly. "Now, we need to talk about the house rules."

Gibbs furrowed his brow when yet another eye-roll came from the preteen. He wasn't used to this much sass at all, not even from Abby or Dinozzo. What was with teenagers those days? "Hey," he snapped. "You thought I'd let you run amuck without any discipline or boundaries?"

Lexi scoffed dryly. "Classic Marine..." she mumbled. "I'm listening."

Gibbs ignored the remark. "There will be no backtalk, or any kind of attitude from you. That means the eye-rolling ends. And so does being a smart-ass. There are other ways of expressing yourself respectfully. Use them. Second, no swearing, you are a child and foul language will not be tolerated at all. You will respect the adults around you. The team as well."

"I respect people when it is earned," Lexi stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Duly noted. Your bedtime is 9:30 on weekdays-"

"Whoa! I go to bed when I feel tired! That's like, sooo early!" Lexi protested.

"I was going to say 11 on weekends but I can drop that altogether and make it 8:30 everyday," Gibbs warned. Lexi huffed and grumbled a quiet 'fine'.

"The more serious rules are as follows: no lying, no leaving the house without permission, no stealing, and most importantly, no putting yourself in danger," Gibbs finished.

"Yikes, I'm gonna need to write these down, it's a lot to remember," Lexi snorted.

"Do whatever you want, but they are there for you to follow. And breaking these rules do have consequences," Gibbs retorted. Lexi scowled and crossed her arms.

"Consequences?"

Gibbs took a deep breath. "Early bedtime, loss of privileges, and no TV are for minor misdemeanors. For more major or repeated misbehaviors, we'll follow the strike rule. 1 strike is a warning, 2 is thin ice, and 3 is a spanking," Gibbs replied seriously. Lexi's eyes widened in protest.

"Y-you can't! I haven't been...since I was like, 7!" Lexi protested through gritted teeth.

"If your father were here, it would not have stopped then. Am I correct?"

Lexi stayed silent. As much as Lexi wouldn't admit it, what Gibbs was saying was the truth. Her father was a loving man, but he didn't tolerate misbehavior in any form. Gibbs actually reminded her of him. Having no rules for so long, Lexi was not used to consequences for her actions.

"Exactly. But, I will never punish you harshly or in an abusing way. We will talk about what rules were broken first, and you will tell me whether or not you feel like it is a punishable offense and I will listen."

"I get to choose?"

"If you truly feel as though the punishment is unfair, we will talk about it. Other than that, it's fair game," Gibbs answered. The pair paused when Mary set two hot plates of food, a steak and potatoes for Gibbs and a burger and fries for Lexi.

"Okay...that seems fair enough," Lexi replied, nibbling on a fry.

"I hope it doesn't have to come to that, kid. I don't do it for my enjoyment. I do it to keep you safe and teach you right from wrong. It's the hardest thing I'd have to do, but if it keeps you safe, so be it," Gibbs sighed.

Lexi nodded. "What about school?"

"We are having your transcripts sent over from Lyman Middle to Kennedy Memorial Middle, which is only about a mile away from the house. The school bus can take you there and home," Gibbs responded.

Lexi shook her head in protest. "No! Why can't I go to my old school?"

"It's all the way across the city, Lexi. There would be no way of you getting there on time with my work hours, and you are not zoned for that school anymore," Gibbs explained gently, seeing that Lexi was getting upset.

"This is such bullshit. Now I have to start all over at some school and leave my friends," Lexi snapped, her nose crinkling and eyebrows knitting together in a deep scowl.

"Hey!" Gibbs growled. "Language. That is strike 1. Don't do this on the second day, young lady."

Lexi's scowl disappeared and she sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just not good at making new friends. And I was bullied at my school because I'm 11 in 7th grade and everyone treats me like a baby," Lexi apologized sincerely.

Gibbs' frown softened. "I understand. It'll be a fresh start and I believe that you will have a great time at your new school. Just be yourself."

"Are you sure that they'll like me?" Lexi asked in such a timid voice, that, for a moment, she looked and sounded years younger.

"I am positive. What's not to like?" Gibbs assured her with a smile. Lexi grinned a genuine smile that Gibbs had not seen since she came around.

"Thanks," Lexi replied, continuing to eat her food.

For the rest of their dinner, Gibbs got to know Lexi more, and he even got a few giggles from the girl. Lexi realized that Gibbs wasn't such a hard-ass, and that he had a sense of humor. Gibbs had asked Lexi to name everything she could about herself, starting with her favorites.

"Okay, let me quiz you to see if you remember everything," Lexi said, sitting back in her seat.

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head. "Ah, jeez. I'm gonna have to write these down, it's a lot to remember," he mimicked her earlier remark.

"Noooo just tell me!" Lexi laughed. "What's my favorite color?"

"Purple."

"Movie?"

"Sound of Music."

"TV show?"

"Uh, Pretty Liars?"

"Pretty _Little_ Liars."

"I knew that."

"Favorite food?"

"Spaghetti."

"Candy?"

"Reese's."

"Drink?"

"Easy, root beer."

"Artist?"

"Bruno Mercury?"

"It's actually Jason Derulo but good guess. And his name is Bruno _Mars,_ " Lexi giggled. "Last one. What's my favorite thing to do?"

"Favorite thing to do?" Gibbs repeated in confusion. "Is that a trick question?"

Lexi shrugged with a crooked smile. "Kinda. This is my favorite thing to do."

Gibbs smiled and nodded his head in agreement. "Mine too, kiddo. How about we make this a weekly thing? We can come here whenever we need a break, or if we need to have a discussion. It doesn't have to be a serious discussion either."

Lexi nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

The pair paid and left the diner, talking on their way out. The tense, awkward atmosphere replaced by a more relaxed and comfortable one. Lexi proved to be very intelligent for her age, and asked many questions that demanded answers. Gibbs had no doubt in his mind that she would have no issue making friends with her bubbly personality. Lexi was happy that Gibbs took her out to eat, and learned a lot about the man. He wasn't such a bad guy at all. Plus, he was a great listener, and Lexi could feel her guard being let down slowly.

Gibbs took Lexi for ice cream, and the pair sat outside the parlor with their respective cones.

"Gibbs?"

"Hm?"

"When's your daughter coming back home?"

Gibbs turned to look at Lexi in slight confusion. Seeing the same confusion in the younger green eyes, Gibbs shook his head. "What do you mean, Lex?"

"Your daughter. I haven't met her yet. I doubt she'd like that I was staying in her room," Lexi explained. Gibbs stared at the young girl with the same neutral expression, not understanding what she meant.

Lexi looked away and fidgeted for a moment, thinking that she said the wrong thing. "Uh...nothing. Never mind," she quickly replied, continuing to eat her ice cream.

"You didn't say anything wrong, kiddo. I'm not angry at the question. I'm just curious as to where it came from, is all," Gibbs reassured her softly.

Lexi hesitated for a moment. "I...I saw a doll in one of the boxes in the room I'm staying in. And the room has girly wallpaper and sheets. So I figured that you had a daughter?"

Gibbs understood what happened now, and he knew that Lexi might have seen something why the question came up suddenly. "Ahhh. Yeah, I did have a daughter."

Lexi's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Wait...did? You mean she's...?"

Gibbs sighed and nodded grimly. Lexi's eyes widened and she gasped slightly. "I'm sorry, I-" Lexi stopped, dropped her ice cream and began running in the opposite direction.

"Ah, hell," Gibbs cursed, dropping his treat and running after Lexi.

Lexi stopped at the park two blocks away and climbed up the jungle gym, crawling into a tunnel with her knees to her chest. Gibbs quickly caught up to her and stood under the tunnel, looking up at her.

"Come down here, Lexi," Gibbs instructed.

"Uh-uh. I'm probably in trouble for running off," Lexi replied stubbornly.

"No, you aren't, Lex. That was a lot to take in, I know," Gibbs remarked gently. "Just come down here."

Lexi shook her head. "Alright then. If you don't come down I'll come to you."

With that, Gibbs climbed up the jungle gym and crawled his way over to sit beside Lexi near the entrance of the tunnel. He ignored his protesting knees and sat criss-cross facing the girl. He was slightly amazed at her speed and her small size enabling her to still be able to crawl into the child-sized tunnel.

"Lexi, I'm not mad at ya," Gibbs sighed.

"It was a stupid question. I never should have asked you that."

"You were probably going to ask me eventually. I was just a little caught off guard that you asked already," Gibbs chuckled.

Lexi sighed. "Don't hate me, Gibbs. I didn't mean to make you upset."

"You didn't make me upset, sweetheart. I told you in the diner that I am all ears at anytime, anyplace about anything," Gibbs reminded her softly.

Lexi shrugged. "If you have questions, Lexi, ask them. I will not get angry about anything that's on your mind."

Lexi exhaled shakily before turning to face him. "W-what happened to her?"

Gibbs thought of a way to explain the situation so Lexi could understand. "Her name was Kelly. Her and her mom, Shannon were in a car accident and they passed away. It happened in 1991, about 8 years before you were born," Gibbs answered.

"That's really sad. I'm sorry, Gibbs," Lexi apologized, wiping away a tear.

"Rule 6, never say you're sorry, kid. It's a sign of weakness," Gibbs reminded. Lexi smiled slightly at that.

"So you had a wife?"

"I did. Then 3 after," Gibbs chuckled.

"Wow. Was Jenny one of your wives?"

"No," Gibbs laughed. "She wasn't one of my wives."

"Oh," Lexi answered in slight disappointment.

"Why?"

"Nothing..."

"Lexi..." Gibbs reminded.

"Okay okay...I was kinda hoping that you two were dating because Jenny is really nice and funny and you guys blush when you're together and you act like you're married," Lexi rambled, sounding very much like Abby.

"It's not that simple."

"Why?'

"It just isn't."

"Why?"

"Lexi," Gibbs sighed. "Adults are complicated like that."

Lexi shrugged. "I don't get why. If you like each other, why not date? I haven't been here long but I see the way you look at each other."

Gibbs let out a chuckle at the girl's logic. "Not that simple, hun."

Lexi shrugged again "Okayyyy," she drawled, crawling out from the tunnel.

"Sorry for running off," Lexi sighed. "Or should I say 'my bad'?"

"Get over here, you little wiseacre," Gibbs growled playfully grabbing Lexi and ruffling her wild curls.

"Hey, stop that! You're messing up my hair!" Lexi whined.

After their little heart-to-heart, Gibbs was surprised at how far they had come in such a short time. He had gotten Lexi to open up and relax, and there was even an amount of trust formed between the two. The skeleton from his past was unearthed sooner than he'd thought it would be, but Gibbs believed that now Lexi saw a bit of a connection between them. They both lost two important people in their lives, Lexi at such a young age. Lexi would be the light that shone in Gibbs' life, a light that was snuffed out so many years ago. Lexi could finally have a parent to nurture and guide her again, after it was so unfairly taken away from her.

Gibbs turned into the driveway of his house, noticing the child asleep in the backseat. Carrying her upstairs and gently lying her on the bed, Gibbs took Lexi's sneakers off, covered her with a blanket and turned the room light off.

He went downstairs to lock his front door for the first time in years, and retreated downstairs to work on his boat. For the first time in a long time, Gibbs felt truly content as he sanded the hard wood. He had an eventful daily life, with 4 surrogate children turning into 5, and his gut told him that more chaos would follow soon. As he thought more about it, he smiled. He wouldn't have it any other way.


	3. Chapter 3

**Just wanna thank you all for your patience. It's been really chaotic lately, but I'm here now with another super long chapter! Here it is, hope you love it!**

 ****Disclaimer**: Will contain swearing and the brief spanking of a minor in this chapter. Don't like? Turn back now or read at your own discretion.**

 _ **Dialogue in italics is ASL (American Sign Language).**_

 **-Ally :)**

* * *

Lexi had started her new school just shy of a week after moving into Gibbs' house. Gibbs had taken the week off to help with the transition and to take care of the school paperwork. Jenny had been a huge help to the both of them, taking Lexi shopping for new school clothes and supplies, and making it a point to come over almost every night to prepare a healthy dinner that wasn't "for a cowboy".

The relaxed, peaceful environment made after Gibbs and Lexi's first heart-to-heart came to an abrupt end, however. Lexi was often moody, distant and snappy. Gibbs gave her many warnings, and Lexi straightened up after, but her sullen attitude resurfaced each time. Gibbs tried to patiently coax the girl into telling him what was wrong, but received no answer or a sharp "nothing" in response.

Jenny noticed the lack of chatter from the preteen, and how distant she became during dinner and after. Usually, after dinner, Lexi and Jenny would play cards or the three of them would watch a movie together. But Lexi just silently picked at her food before retreating back to her room without a word.

The second school week was finally over for Lexi, and she hurriedly power-walked outside of the school building to the car loop. Spotting Gibbs' black Dodge, Lexi winced slightly as she made her way there. She knew that she had to put on a smile so Gibbs didn't notice her negative mood and ask her questions.

Gibbs could tell that something was the matter, not just from her tense body language, but also the way she put on a face when she noticed his car. "How was school, kiddo?"

"Fine."

"What'd you learn?"

"The same thing I learned at my last school."

"Anything interesting?"

"Not really."

Gibbs sighed and gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, his patience slipping ever so slightly. There was something wrong, but Gibbs could not get through to Lexi this time. He wondered what happened to the sweet, funny girl that he got to know in the diner. He was definitely not used to a moody teenager at all. Maybe Jenny would know how to get through to her. It was probably a girl thing, Gibbs supposed.

"Where are we going?" Lexi piped up suddenly, seeing that Gibbs was not driving towards their neighborhood.

Gibbs stayed silent, continuing to drive towards NCIS. Hearing the girl huff in frustration at no answer, Gibbs smirked slightly and turned into the naval base.

"Where are we?" Lexi asked, unbuckling her seatbelt and grabbing her backpack.

Again, Gibbs didn't speak, and instead got out of the car and began walking towards the NCIS building. Lexi angrily groaned and ran to keep up. "Oh, now you decide to be quiet?" Lexi demanded. "Real mature, Gibbs."

"Nah, what's immature is your attitude the past week," Gibbs retorted, turning to the young girl firmly. "I don't know what has caused this disrespect, but there are many other ways of expressing yourself. Being snappy and ignoring an adult is unacceptable."

"What about calling you a bastard?" Lexi remarked smugly.

"That's strike 1," Gibbs snapped.

"I'm just expressing myself," Lexi shrugged indifferently.

"Yeah, and the way you're going about it will land you over my knee by the end of the day," Gibbs replied warningly. Lexi rolled her eyes when Gibbs turned around and followed him into the giant building. Gibbs scanned his ID to grant them access into the lobby, then pushed the down button on the elevator. Lexi crossed her arms and leaned against one of the silver walls of the elevator. She wanted to go home, not have to be stuck with Gibbs at NCIS.

Gibbs got off the elevator and walked through the sliding doors of Autopsy. "It's freezing. Why are we down here?" Lexi questioned, hugging herself with a shiver.

"Hey, Duck?" Gibbs called out, walking further into the room.

"Ahh, Jethro!" Ducky replied, coming from his office. "I was just finishing some leftover autopsy reports, as Mr. Palmer has gone home early for the weekend. It seems as though the lad has fallen ill with the...well, hello, there!"

Ducky stepped towards the pair, regarding Lexi with a welcoming smile. "You must be Alexia. Jethro has told me quite a bit about you, young lady. I am Dr. Mallard, but you can just call me Ducky," he introduced.

Lexi smiled at the kind doctor. "Nice to meet you, Ducky. And it's just Lexi, if you don't mind."

"He calls everyone by their full names," Gibbs explained.

Lexi nodded in understanding. "So what do you do here?"

"I perform autopsies on the bodies that the NCIS teams bring in from the crime scenes. That way I can figure out exactly how they died," Ducky explained.

"Cool!" Lexi remarked, impressed. "Can I watch one?"

"Ah, maybe when you're older, Lexi. It's not for kids," Gibbs gently answered.

Lexi scowled. "No fair. I'm not a baby."

"Didn't say you were, Lexi. We will talk about this later. Say goodbye to Ducky, we have to go to Abby's lab," Gibbs responded, turning towards the elevator.

Lexi huffed. "That means never..." she grumbled, waving to Ducky with a pout.

As the pair left, Ducky chuckled and shook his head in amusement. She was a spitfire, that was for sure. The child would be perfect for Gibbs and their brood.

Gibbs and Lexi got off on the floor above them. Suddenly, Lexi covered her ears at the loud, ear-splitting metal that met them upon stepping out of the elevator. Gibbs quickly strode into Abby's lab and pulled the plug on her large speaker, ceasing the noise. Abby whirled around from her computer, her smile leaving her face at seeing Lexi with Gibbs.

"Do we have a case, oh Fearless Leader?" Abby asked.

"Yes, which is why Lexi will be doing her homework here, until I come get her," Gibbs replied.

"What?" Lexi and Abby protested simultaneously.

"Giiiiibbs! I'm not a babysitter!" Abby scoffed, crossing her arms.

"But, Gibbs! I'm 11! I don't need to be watched!" Lexi added in outrage.

"Enough," Gibbs cut off with a wave of his hand. "Lexi, you will not give Abby any issues, and Abby, please be the adult here."

Abby resisted the urge to roll her eyes and settled for a deep sigh. "Fine. But she touches nothing," Abby stated, addressing Lexi. "My office is over there. Go sit at my desk and finish your homework, and try not to mess with anything."

Lexi scoffed and rolled her eyes before making her way into Abby's office and pulling out her homework sheets. It took her about an hour altogether to finish her reading and math assignments, so once she was done, Lexi returned her folders to her schoolbag and got up to walk around the lab.

She couldn't resist observing the many vials and beakers filled with mysterious liquids with complicated names. The baby heads were definitely interesting to the young girl, and she stood on her tiptoes to try to touch one of them. After that got boring, Lexi carefully snuck around the lab to see what was there to play with. Abby's music was blaring carelessly from her speakers, so there was no way she'd notice.

A giant white machine with shiny buttons caught Lexi's eye, and her inquisitive nature compelled her to play around with it. A sign was taped to the front of the machine that read 'Major Mass-Spec. Do not touch!'. Lexi rolled her eyes and reached out to press a button.

A loud beeping sound came from Major Mass Spec, startling Lexi. She tried to stop the noise by pressing another button, but the beeping got more erratic.

"Hey!"

Lexi quickly turned around to see Abby scowling at her from across the room. "What did you do to Major Mass Spec?" she demanded, stomping over to her.

"It was an accident!"

"I told you not to touch anything. Jeez, can't you read the sign? It says DO NOT TOUCH," Abby yelled, motioning to the note.

Lexi scowled deeply. "I am not a baby! I can read just fine. And it's not like I meant to set off your stupid machine!"

"You don't know anything about this machine or anything in this lab. That's why I told you to stay in the office. Obviously you can't follow a simple direction," Abby snapped.

"Quit talking to me like I'm a toddler! I don't need to be watched by anyone," Lexi seethed, her temper rising steadily.

"Apparently you do since you can't stay out of trouble for 5 minutes," Abby scoffed, rolling her eyes.

 _"Ugh, she's such a bitch,"_ Lexi signed angrily to herself, switching to ASL.

Abby's eyes widened before signing back. " _I hope you meant to sign that I'm making breakfast and not that I'm a bitch. Otherwise you will be in HUGE TROUBLE._ _"_

 _"No, I did call you a bitch. Because that is what you are, and that is what you've been acting like,"_ Lexi signed, a smug look on her face.

 _"Oh you are so going to regret saying that to me,"_ Abby signed back, shaking her head furiously.

 _"I didn't say it. I signed it. And I'll sign it again,"_ Lexi signed in amusement. Then, Lexi signed, _"You. Are. A. B-I-T-C-H,"_ slowly spelling out the last word.

Suddenly, Lexi's arm was grabbed and a swift swat to her backside made her yelp in surprise. She was then face to face with one pissed off Leroy Jethro Gibbs. "What the hell is going on in here? I can't leave you two alone without you starting some catfight with each other?" Gibbs demanded.

"Gibbs it wasn't my fault!" Abby remarked in outrage.

"It wasn't mine either! She's been acting like a b-I mean, jerk since I got here!" Lexi countered.

"That is enough! And your behavior lately has been ridiculous, young lady," Gibbs scolded Lexi. "I have half a mind to wash your mouth out with soap for this disgraceful language towards an adult."

Lexi's filter proved to be broken at that moment. "Technically, Gibbs, I signed it, I didn't say it out loud. So you can't exactly wash my-OUCH!" she cried out when yet another slap was placed to her bottom.

"Now is not the time for the sarcasm, Alexia. You're coming upstairs with me, right now," Gibbs replied firmly. "Go get your backpack and get a move on."

Lexi groaned before stomping into Abby's office to retrieve her backpack. Abby watched with a triumphant smirk and a smug tilt of her head.

"You are not out of the woods, Abby. I told you to be the adult here, and you couldn't even do that," Gibbs snapped, seeing the smug look on his Lab Rat's face.

Abby pouted. "But, Gibbs, she-"

"Is an 11 year old girl who has lost both of her parents and is having a hard time right now," Gibbs interjected sternly, ceasing any excuses. "I am so disappointed in the way you've been acting, Abby. We will talk about this later."

Abby sighed before returning to her computer. She hated that disappointed look and tone in Gibbs' voice. It usually wasn't directed at her. She loved kids, but for some reason she had treated Lexi like garbage since she came. It wasn't personal, there was just something about her that Abby didn't like.

"That is Strike 2, young lady," Gibbs stated sternly as they entered the elevator.

"Wh-Gibbs! Come on! I had to defend myself," Lexi whined.

"Don't give me that. I told you to use a more respectful approach to defending yourself, and you should know better," Gibbs snapped, his patience slowly thinning.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened with a ding. Lexi observed the large room bustling with agents and other employees as they walked through the bullpen. She regarded the walls critically. "Yuck, whose big idea was it to paint the walls tangerine?" Lexi remarked in disgust. "I might need to have a talk with Jenny about her decorating choices."

"Don't look at me, I'm not responsible for this," Lexi heard from behind them. She turned to see Jenny standing behind them smiling in amusement.

"Hi, Jenny," Lexi greeted, going into her arms for a hug.

"How was school?" Jenny asked cheerfully.

Lexi hesitated before shrugging. "Good..."

"Just good?" Jenny replied with a raise of her eyebrow. She noticed the hesitation and change in body language with Lexi's answer.

"Well, I guess we'll talk more about that later, then, hm?" Jenny said with a shrug. Lexi nodded with a sigh.

"Sit at my desk, Lexi. I'll be back in about 15 minutes. Jen, we need to talk," Gibbs said quietly. "And Lexi, try not to get yourself in any trouble."

Lexi rolled her eyes in annoyance before doing as she was told and sitting at Gibbs desk. Seeing Jen and Gibbs disappear around the corner of the stairway, Lexi began to worry.

"W-what do you think they're talking about?" Lexi wondered anxiously. Gibbs and Jenny talking quietly where she couldn't hear was not a good sign.

Tony shrugged, an annoying smirk on his face. "I dunno, Lex. Maybe it's because he got a phone call from your school this morning."

Lexi's heart dropped. "What? No! You're bluffing!" she replied, shaking her head in disbelief. Ziva and McGee watched the exchange in silent interest.

Tony couldn't resist a dig. "Nope. No joke."

"Do you know what it was about?" Lexi urged, biting her lip nervously.

Tony shook his head sadly. "Sorry, kid. Couldn't tell ya."

Lexi closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair with a groan. "He's gonna kill me..."

"I just find it funny how you managed to get in trouble the first week of school," Tony chuckled. "I mean, what could you have done to make the teacher so upset already? It's only been like two weeks."

Lexi scowled. "Don't make fun of me, Dinozzo. It's not funny," she growled through gritted teeth. Usually, Lexi would counter Tony's teasing with a smart comeback. But this time, what he was saying hit a nerve.

"How did you manage to get on the teacher's bad side already?" Tony laughed. Lexi's face went bright red at that, fueling Tony's amusement.

"I should stop calling you Lexi, and start calling you Trouble."

"Screw you, Tony," Lexi growled, balling up her fists. "It's none of your damn business what I did anyway."

"Ha! So you do know what it was about!" Tony remarked, his grin getting wider. "I'd say you're the class clown but aren't they supposed to be funny?"

"Tony, do not make fun of her," Ziva interjected, seeing Lexi get genuinely upset.

Tony continued to chuckle, standing up from his seat. "I gotta hit the head."

Lexi watched him leave, her temper boiling, before she got a brilliant idea. She waited for the elevator doors to close before jumping up and running over to Tony's desk. Finding his drawer cracked, Lexi rummaged through before pulling out a large tube of Krazy-Glue.

"Uhh, Lexi? What are you..." McGee wondered in confusion.

Lexi ignored him and continued to apply copious amounts of glue to Tony's keyboard. When she was finished, she carefully capped the tube and returned it to the drawer. Skipping back to Gibbs' desk with a smile, Lexi plopped back into the swivel chair and propped her feet up on the desk surface to wait.

Gibbs and Jenny stopped behind the stairway leading to the top floor. "Jen, I don't usually use this rule, but Rule 28."

Jen raised her eyebrows. "You're asking me for help? With what?"

"It's Lexi," Gibbs replied in concern. "At this point, I'm at a loss for what to do with her. This has gone on long enough, and a simple lecture won't do."

"What's she done?"

"Attitude, sass, swearing, I got a phone call from her teacher earlier, and I just had to bring her here from Abby's lab because they were in the middle of a heated argument. One thing after another," Gibbs explained.

"You know I don't mind helping out with her. I've enjoyed our dinners and movie nights together. But, I'll admit, she hasn't been herself lately."

"With you, too?"

"She tries to hide it, but I can see right through the tough act. Something is bothering her, Jethro. Something big, it seems and it's eating her inside. I don't want to pry for fear of a tantrum, but I'm a bit worried. She is distant and quiet, almost a different kid," Jenny explained.

"At least she responds to your questions normally," Gibbs scoffed. "I ask how her day was, and I get the cold shoulder. At home she is so sullen and moody."

"She is pushing us away because she is afraid of our reaction," Jenny stated. "Her mother probably wasn't the best person to talk to, so Lexi is used to bottling things up inside until they got to be too much to handle. Now, she has people around her who care enough to constantly check up on her. I'm afraid that if we press her too much, it'll cause a meltdown."

"Her mother was barely there, Jen. Lexi is used to being alone and taking care of herself," Gibbs responded. "I just have no idea how I'm supposed to raise a 11 year old girl by myself. Ever since she came into my life, I've tried my best to keep her safe and build her trust. But right now, I don't know what to do about her constant lashing out. I'm patient with her, but she just keeps pushing me away."

"You're not perfect. You want to do everything in your power to fix the bad things and make her hurt go away. But she will push you away because she is used to people leaving. She loves you and trusts you, but right now, she is afraid that whatever is bothering her will make you not want her anymore or see her as too much to handle. So what you need to do is sit her down and patiently but firmly try to get to the bottom of the issue and fix it."

Gibbs nodded. "You're right. It won't be easy, but I want her to be able to come to me about things."

"And she will, in due time. For now, show her that you do love and care about her deeply and that she is not a burden on anybody," Jenny advised gently. "I am here when you need help, Jethro. I care about Lexi very much, and I want that lively, funny girl back again."

Gibbs smiled. "Thank you, Jen. I really appreciate it."

"No thanks needed. How about we both sit Lexi down later to find out what the root of the problem is?" Jenny suggested. "Then you'll have back up and she won't feel like she's being interrogated."

"You think I make her feel interrogated?" Gibbs asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

"I think that she'll feel more pressured to tell the truth. At least with both of us she'll respond better, but we have to be patient and gentle. So she knows that whatever is bothering her will not cause us to love her any less," Jenny answered mildly. Gibbs nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I'll take her home soon then we can get to the bottom of all of this," Gibbs said, feeling less doubtful and more determined to figure out what was going on with his young charge.

The pair returned to the bullpen to see Lexi reclining back in Gibbs' chair looking like the cat that ate the cream. Hearing a confused grunt from Tony's desk, Gibbs and Jenny turned to see Tony looking down at his keyboard in puzzlement. "Nh, Boss? I think...I think I'm stuck," Tony grunted, lifting his hands to have the entire keyboard come up with them.

Gibbs turned and glared at Lexi, whose sly smile immediately disappeared. "Alexia Marie-"

"Why do you assume it's me?" Lexi demanded. Seeing the spark in Gibbs' eye, Lexi sighed. "Alright, yeah, I did it. But I had good reason!"

"Yeah?" Gibbs answered sarcastically. "Just like how you had a good reason to swear at Abby?"

"He was making fun of me for getting into trouble in school! I had to do something!" Lexi argued, standing up from the chair. Gibbs furrowed his brow at that.

"You do not take matters into your own hands, young lady. You find an adult who can handle it," Gibbs snapped.

"Ziva told him to stop teasing me, Gibbs. He deserved it," Lexi stated, crossing her arms firmly across her chest. Gibbs shook his head before storming over to McGee's desk and grabbing a bottle of acetone. He roughly placed it on Tony's desk before issuing a stinging slap to Tony's head.

"Quit winding up your little sister. Don't you ever tease her about her getting in trouble, you understand me? You are an adult, act like it," Gibbs said brusquely.

"Yes, Boss," Tony replied quietly, then feeling like a complete jerk. The team began to love Lexi like a little sister already, but hearing Gibbs refer to her as such made their feelings stronger.

Gibbs turned to Lexi and motioned for her to follow him. "Come on, Lex. We're going home."

"No."

All heads turned in surprise at Lexi's answer. The utter audacity of the girl to refuse one of Gibbs' orders was bold. Gibbs raised an eyebrow at the preteen. "What?" he demanded quietly.

"I said no. I'm not going, and you can't make me," Lexi dared, jutting her chin out in defiance.

Gibbs' expression turned neutral, but the team and Jenny could see the cobalt blue eyes darken with anger. "We either do this the easy way, or the hard way, Lexi."

Lexi stood her ground. "No, I'm not falling for that."

"Alexia Marie, do not make me have to tell you again!" Gibbs yelled, using her full name.

Lexi began signing to herself. _"I don't want to, and you can't make me, asshole."_

Gibbs immediately signed back, to Lexi's frustration. _"I am your guardian and that means I am in charge, young lady. Follow me and Jen NOW, or the entire team will see how I deal with disobedient 11 year olds."_

Lexi gasped slightly before signing, _"You wouldn't dare."_

 _"Try me."_

"One."

Lexi stubbornly stayed put.

"Two."

Lexi huffed in defeat before grabbing her backpack and following Gibbs and Jen, disgruntled at the exchange. She really didn't want to test Gibbs' threats at getting to 3, especially not in front of the team. In the elevator, Lexi scooted all the way into the corner of the silver box so she wouldn't be within Gibbs' swatting range.

The ride home was tense to say the least, as you could cut the air with a knife. Lexi was afraid that when they got home, there would be the headmaster to some distant boarding school, or head nun of a secluded orphanage waiting for them. She was sure that Gibbs was finished with her now.

"Go sit in the living room couch, Lexi," Gibbs ordered quietly, hanging up his jacket.

"But, Gibbs, I-"

"For once, Alexia, do as you're told!" Gibbs snapped, shooting the girl an icy glare. Lexi responded with a huff, turning and stomping into the living room.

"And make sure that your attitude is gone when I come in there!" Gibbs called out after her before sighing and rubbing a hand across his forehead in irritation.

At that moment, Jenny entered and set her bag and car keys down on the decorative table near the door. "Everything okay?" she asked in concern at Gibbs' exasperated expression.

"Jen, what the hell was I thinking? I can't be a parent and raise a kid alone," Gibbs sighed.

"First of all, you're not alone. You've got me and your entire team. It takes a village to raise a kid. Second, you are already a father. You play a father figure role to each person on your team whether you realize it or not. Third, this is just your first bump in the road and there's gonna be a lot more. You and Lexi are gonna get through this. You have to be patient and able to listen and guide while also staying firm and strict. That's what she needs especially right now. She needs someone who will love and guide her on this road of growing up," Jenny replied.

Gibbs blinked. "Why do you gotta be so smart, Jen?"

"Because I was an 11 year old girl once. So now I ask how are we going to do this? Are we going to give Lexi the opportunity to come clean about her behavior at school then lay it all out? Are we going to just lay it all out and ask for an explanation?"

"I think we should lay it out then ask for an explanation, then that way she will see that other people notice her change in behavior and we know that something is bothering her," Gibbs responded.

"We will need to approach this with caution, Jethro. She shouldn't feel as if we're attacking her. We gently and patiently try to get the truth out of her," Jenny advised.

"How about we start with telling Lexi about the call from the teacher asking for a conference?" Gibbs suggested.

"Then that'll give her the chance to come clean without feeling like we are interrogating her," Jen answered.

"Or else she'll be farther up the creek with no paddle."

"Well what is our other option besides actually interrogating her?"

"I don't know Jen. The last time I felt this uncertain was when Kelly snuck out of the backyard to go play with Maddie."

Jenny raised her eyebrows, curiosity piqued. "After this I want to know that story. Could we maybe ask Lexi for the truth about what's happening?"

"The only problem is that she'll give us the 'everything's fine' with a shrug. That's all I've been given when I try to talk to her,"

"Then you start cracking down. She knows that is not an acceptable answer, especially when it's done with back chat and attitude. We can't let her get away with that."

"I know that, Jen, but she's been through so much. I don't want to come down too hard on her."

"Right now the worst thing for her is inconsistency. When you two had that heart to heart last week at the dinner, you made it very clear the expectations you set for her while she was living with you."

Gibbs nodded in agreement. "Let's go in and try to talk to her."

Gibbs and Jenny entered living room to see Lexi pouting on the couch, her arms crossed.

"Sit up and stop pouting, Lexi," Gibbs instructed firmly.

"I'm not pouting," Lexi grumbled.

"Sure you aren't. Anyway, Jen and I need to talk to you and we want you to know that we aren't gonna put up with attitude, back chat, or the 'everything's fine' response. Do you understand?"

"Whatever," Lexi growled.

"First warning," Gibbs rebuked.

"Lexi, honey, we are worried about you. Is there anything going on at school that we need to know about?" Jenny inquired gently, sitting down next to her.

Lexi shrugged. "I don't know. I've only been there for like 2 weeks, ya know."

"Yeah? Well then why do your teachers want to have a meeting with me?"

Lexi paled slightly. 'Bingo,' Gibbs thought.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm being promoted to the next grade again?"

"Lex, we all know deep down that's not why," Gibbs sighed.

"Lexi, if something's happening Gibbs needs to know. He can't protect you from something he doesn't know. The same goes for me and the team," Jenny added.

Lexi threw her hands up in annoyance. "Will you both just STOP! I am fine. I'm trying to ADJUST to a school that I did NOT want to attend. Jeez give a girl some space."

"Attitude, ignoring an adult and swearing is NOT adjusting, young lady," Gibbs scolded.

Lexi rolled her eyes. "You have your way of adjusting and I have mine."

"Yeah? Your way of 'adjusting' will only grant you a sore bottom," Gibbs countered.

Lexi scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"You wanna test that theory? Because I have no problem showing you how serious I am. We don't have to go down this road. All you have to do is tell us what's going on at school," Gibbs answered, trying to keep his patience in check.

Lexi glared at Gibbs and Gibbs stared back stubbornly. The younger green eyes looked away first.

Jen sighed. "Lexi, we just want to know what's happening. We want your side but if don't give us your side we will have no other option but take a leaf out of our agent books."

Lexi shot Jenny a dirty look. "What does that mean?" she demanded.

Jen shrugged. "It means we'll just have to go up to your school and find out for ourselves."

Lexi jumped up from the couch. "WHAT, NO! You can't!"

"Sweetheart if something is bothering you this deeply and you won't tell us, then we have no choice but to investigate."

Lexi stomped her foot. "This is bullshit! Why can't you both take the hint that I'm fucking FINE!"

Gibbs stood up and firmly grabbed Lexi's arm, pulling her over his lap. "Too far, young lady," he remarked, bringing his hand down upon the jean covered backside firmly.

Lexi growled and tried wriggling out of his grip. "Lemme go, you freaking bastard!" she screeched, yelping as the smacks kept coming.

Gibbs said nothing, continuing the punishment with an arm around her waist. "I've given you way too many chances today, this is well deserved for your attitude."

"Agh! Let! Me! Up!" Lexi yelled, kicking her legs.

"You do not," Gibbs scolded, punctuating each word with a firm swat. "Swear at an adult! Ever!"

After a few moments, Lexi suddenly stopped struggling and went limp, deep sobs wracking her small body. Gibbs knew that the sobbing was mostly not from the brief spanking at all. He let her up and Lexi continued to bawl all of her pain out, no signs of calming down. Jen softly took Lexi's arm and pulled her down to sit on her lap, the young girl crying hard into her chest.

"Let it out, sweet girl, let it all out. We're here to help you," Jenny soothed, stroking her soft, brown coils.

Lexi shook her head. "You can't!"

"Why's that, hun?" Gibbs asked quietly, sitting next to Jenny on the couch.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs! For everything I said and did. I deserved that, honest. I didn't mean it, please believe me!" Lexi cried, burying her face in Jenny's shirt.

"I'm not angry at you, Lex. I'm worried, to be honest. You aren't yourself and we want to fix that," Gibbs assured lovingly. He felt like a jerk for having to punish her at all, but he was glad that she wasn't upset with him.

"You all shouldn't have to put up with me. I'm a burden to you all. You have to spend time out of your day to deal with me and it's unfair that you were stuck with a kid whose parents had to die in order to get away from her," Lexi sniffled, playing with her hands.

Jenny went rigid at that remark, and Gibbs' eyes darkened dangerously. "Who told you that?" he demanded quietly.

Lexi began to cry slightly. "I'm such a nuisance, I need cops as guardians because I can't behave. And I ruin everything. It's true 'cuz that's why Abby hates me, and the team doesn't even trust me," with that, the tears continued.

Jenny turned Lexi to face her in her lap, holding her hands firmly in her own. "Lexi, we have to know who told you this. All of that was totally and completely wrong. Every bit of it. We need to know who told you that right now," she said seriously, the expression of despair on the girl's face breaking her heart.

"My teacher..." Lexi whispered.

"Which teacher?" Jenny pried.

"Mr. Mogul. He's the one that probably called you, Gibbs," Lexi mumbled. "He hates me so much, I don't know why. I hate it at my school, I have no friends and I can't focus when he's always putting me down. I dont know what to do."

"You don't worry about that, Lexi. We will get to the bottom of it and make it stop, I promise," Gibbs promised sincerely, feeling his temper rising at the fact that his goddaughter was being bullied by a teacher the whole time. He head-slapped himself mentally for just thinking that Lexi was giving an attitude on purpose. She had been hurting and felt as if she couldn't tell anyone.

Jenny's blood boiled at the information. How could anyone say those cruel things to a child? She got to know Lexi a bit during the 3 weeks she had been living with Gibbs and the two formed a friendship of sorts. Jenny loved hearing about Lexi's day in school, about her thoughts, opinions, dreams etc. and Lexi enjoyed the dinners and movie nights that the three of them spent together, as it made her feel like she was a part of a real family. She loved Jenny's company, she brought warmth to the house. Hearing Lexi say those horrible things about herself made tears come to Jenny's eyes.

Lexi sniffled before reaching out to Gibbs for a hug. It felt good expelling all of her hurt and stress, and all she wanted to do was stay in Gibbs' arms and not go back to that school again. Holding her close to his chest, Gibbs was determined to deal with the issue at hand and to prove to Lexi that she was wanted by everyone. Nobody messed with one of his own and got away with it.


End file.
